Black Space Oakland- Organizing through healing, imagining and well being

Black Space Oakland is a support network of African American community leaders dedicated to community change. The overall strategy is to foster transformative change by building individual and collective leadership, wellness practices, and reflection. Black Space lays a foundation for African American community members to build coalitions in deeper and more transformative ways. Creating regular opportunities for African American community members to reflect, imagine, and act contributes to stronger community life, a vivid collective vision, and clear action toward change.

Oakland Brotherhood- Building a system of manhood development for young boys in Oakland

Oakland Brotherhood is an intergenerational network of African American men in Oakland who have come together to improve the academic and social outcomes for young men and boys in Oakland.

Peace Oakland 2.0 is a health intervention strategy that utilizes smartphone technology to increase peaceful behaviors and attitudes among 200 African American and Latino youth. In order to accomplish this objective, we have developed an innovative participatory process to capture the behaviors, attitudes and activities in which young people participate that create and sustain peace.

Understanding the Impact of Contemplative Practices on Young Men on Probation

This project examines the influence of contemplative practices on decision making, stress among African American young men on probation. The group meets weekly to provide support and learn contemplative techniques.

Youth Bill of Rights Project

What rights do young people have in a democratic society? In what ways do young people of color conceptualize their rights? Do youth enjoy the same constitutional protections as adults? These questions will guide a proposed three-year project to support the Research Collaborative on Youth Activism, an interdisciplinary network of researchers who study and work collaboratively with young people in their schools and communities, to conduct a collaborative action research project which will produce a Youth Bill of Rights. The Youth Bill of Rights will serve both as an assessment tool to examine the extent to which five local communities (Oakland, CA, New York, Tucson, AZ, Denver, CO, Chicago, IL) support young people’s rights as well as provide a common framework for youth activists around the country to articulate their collective work. The first phase of the project will involve convening 5 to 6 teams of researchers and youth to discuss key questions regarding youth rights and to develop a draft bill of rights document. The second, phase of the project will refine the draft bill of rights by engaging a broader constituency of youth through regional youth community meetings. The third phase of the project will develop a website where youth evaluate their schools, cities and states policies regarding the extent to which their rights are supported.

Understanding Organizational and Neighborhoods Influences on Civic Engagement for African American and Latino Youth

Understanding Organizational and Neighborhoods Influences on Civic Engagement for African American and Latino Youth is a three-year study to explore how neighborhood conditions shape civic engagement among African American and Latino youth. Using qualitative methods, we are observing youth in neighborhoods in Oakland, California and two neighborhoods in Tucson, Arizona.

1. What constitutes civic engagement for African American and Latino youth? 2. How do urban neighborhood settings shape civic engagement for African American and Latino youth? 3. How do community organizations promote or inhibit civic identity and action among urban youth? 4. How do urban youth’s perceptions of neighborhood opportunities shape civic engagement?

Social Justice Education and Contemplative Practices in the Classroom

Social Justice Education and Contemplative Practices in the Classroom project is a two year demonstration project with San Francisco city schools. The project is designed to work together to support four teachers in two schools to integrate social justice education and contemplative practices for district's most hard to reach students. The goal of the project is to understand how social justice education (political education, organizing), and contemplative practices, (meditation, yoga, reflection) impact academic performance, and the well-being of students.

San Francisco African American Out-Migration Study

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s Office of Community Development (“MOCD”) has formed a Task Force on African American Out-migration (“Task Force”) to address the phenomenon of African Americans leaving San Francisco. The Task Force has asked the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University (“ES”) to assist in gathering and analyzing data to inform the development of policy recommendations to address African American out-migration.

The purpose of this report is to examine the decline in the African American population in San Francisco, and the possible reasons for it. This document addresses three guiding questions:

1. Who is leaving and residing in San Francisco? 2. Where do African Americans who move from San Francisco relocate? 3. What reasons do African American San Francisco residents give for leaving or staying in the City?

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